Grants for Artists

Deadline: June 1, 2007

The Harpo Foundation is accepting proposals for grants funding. The Harpo Foundation supports artists that are unrecognized by the field. This applies to all artists whether emerging or further along in their careers. Proposals to the foundation can take the form of installations, public interventions, personal projects, residencies, and under certain conditions, exhibitions. Proposals should include a project description, examples of the artist's work (in digital format) and a resume. A detailed budget breakdown is not necessary, however grant will usually not exceed $10,000. For more information, please contact the Harpo Foundation at 305.442.8242 or email harpofl@earthling.net.

Job in the Arts

Executive Director: Cecil County Arts Council, Inc. - Maryland

CCAC is Cecil county's umbrella cultural organization and awards grants to school and nonprofits presenting arts programs. It has a two-person full-time staff, including E.D.; $92K budget from state grant funding, dues, corporate support and fundraising.

Qualifications: Commitment to community outreach; ability to maintain, nurture and inspire membership; knowledge of art-related issues; managerial, grant writing and fundraising experience; outstanding communication, presentation, public relations skills; experience in working with a board of directors.

Qualified applicants can expect a salary starting at $38,000-$41,000. Benefits: health and dental coverage, retirement, paid vacation, holiday, sick, personal time. Send resume, cover letter , references to:

Personnel Committee
CCAC
135 E. Main St.
Elkton, MD 21921

Or email copy of resume to maggie.creshkoff@gmail.com.

Congrats!

To DC area ubercollector Fred Ognibene, whose home was just featured in "At Home" magazine, in an article featuring loads of artwork and discussion on the (mostly) DC area artists that Fred collects.

Smithsonian's Lawrence Small Resigns

Just received from Roger Sant, Chair, Executive Committee, Smithsonian Board of Regents

At 12:30 this afternoon, Regent Patti Stonsifer and I will participate in a news conference to announce that we have accepted the resignation of Secretary Lawrence Small, effective immediately. At the same time, we will announce that Cristian Samper, currently director of the National Museum of Natural History, has been named by the Regents to serve as Acting Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, also effective immediately. We also have asked Sheila Burke to continue as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer. We appreciate her strong leadership, particularly during these past months.

Although the past few weeks have been difficult for us all, we believe that the important work of the Institution will continue and we hope you share our optimism for the future.

A search committee for a new Secretary will begin immediately under the chairmanship of Alan Spoon, a member of our executive committee.

We thank you for your hard work and dedication.

Below is the text of the news release distributed today and available shortly on PRISM and newsdesk.si.edu. Also, the news conference will be available through Windows Media Player at mms://live01.si.edu/sicastle.

Roger Sant

Chair, Executive Committee
Smithsonian Board of Regents

Update: The press release is here.

Update: WaPo picks up the story (revised once since the intial 1PM posting, which cited a Congressional leak instead of the press conference) here. According to some of the comments, this too appears to be Pres. Bush's fault.

Carrie Ann Baade at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art

Carrie Ann Baade: "Virtues and Vices - Surreal Portraits of the Commendable and Contemptible" opens on March 30, 2007 at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art in Wilmington, but the opening reception is Friday April 13th, from 5 to 9pm (includes a musical performance by the Absinthe Drinkers at 8pm) and then there's an artist's lecture on April 4th, from 12 to 1pm at the DCCA.

It's no secret that I love narrative work that also uses historical references, and thus I am really looking forward to seeing this talented artist's work, which is new to me. More later.

Gopnik in a kilt

The WaPo's erudite Oxford-trained, chief art critic pens an interesting review (which has already caused some comment flaming) on the current exhibition "Italian Women Artists From Renaissance to Baroque," at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

But my issue with the review are not the possible historical inaccuracies in the article, but this statement:

"Who and what you are matters to what your actions mean to others. My wife wears a skirt, and no one notices; if I did, I'd have to claim McGopnik blood to get away with it."

McGopnik!!!!

McGopnik!!!

"Whas like us? Gie few an thur aw deed"

First of all, Scots wear kilts - not skirts... and "Mc" is generally the Anglicised version of the Irish Celtic form for "son-of," while "Mac", not "Mc", is the is true Scottish Gaelic form, and thus what Gopnik should have written to make his point.

So he meant "MacGopnik."

I know it's pedantic, but ...

Phoebe Washburn at ICA

A new Ramp Project by Phoebe Washburn goes on view this spring at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at the University of Pennsylvania. The 12th in a series of temporary works commissioned for the ramp, Washburn’s project can be seen April 20-August 5, 2007.

"Using massive amounts of collected scrap wood, Phoebe Washburn transforms ICA’s ramp by constructing an environmental installation that is both accumulative and regenerative. Working on site off of the existing architecture, she turns the windowed ramp into a makeshift terrarium/aquarium. Viewers wander amidst a variety of water plants and underwater scenes housed in fish tanks nestled in a darkened wooden tunnel. These miniature living landscapes are sustained by pumps and other necessary accoutrements in this green environment."

Every season ICA commissions an artist to create a new site-specific temporary installation for the ramp that links the first and second floor galleries. A transitional space, the ramp is 52-foot long and is visible from the street through architecturally-scaled picture windows on the building’s facade. This project is organized by Elyse Gonzales, Assistant Curator.